Cleaning equipment maintenance is too important to overlook. It might be easy to ascribe to the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” school of thought, but keeping your cleaning equipment in good working order protects your investment and benefits the bottom line. Well-maintained machines last longer, perform optimally and even smell better. Some cleaning equipment is hard for owners to service by design and may require a trip to the distributer’s repair shop, according to an article in Cleaning and Maintenance Management. Kaivac No-Touch cleaning equipment, on the other hand, is easy to maintain if you follow these tips.
Squeegee Head Maintenance As Needed
Squeegee blades and wheels work hard and take a beating. Once they wear out they leave tell-tale watery streaks behind just like a car’s old windshield wiper. Luckily, replacing the blades is easy. Simply pull the blade out and fit in the replacement behind the wheel well, ribbed side facing out. Wheel casing and brush heads are easily removed and replaced using only a philips head screw driver.
Vacuum Recovery Tank Cleanout Daily
Vacuum recovery tanks need to be rinsed out daily or working suction will be reduced. The tank will also start to smell bad. Cleaning out the tank is simple and should be incorporated into the daily routine. Start by removing fresh water with the vacuum recovery hose. This empties the tank and cleans the hose. Empty the recovery tank by opening the dump hose and allowing the dirty solution and waste to drain. (This is where a floor drain comes in handy!) Remove vacuum lid and spray the recovery tank with a garden hose. Be sure to pay special attention to the float screen and float shut off to keep suction strong. Reattach the dump hose but leave the vacuum lid off to air dry overnight.
Lubricating Components Weekly
Pressure gun nozzles and chemical selectors are moving parts that can get sticky over time. Weekly lubrication with just a small spray of WD-40 or White Lithium Grease will keep these components moving smoothly and operating well.
Winterize As Needed
It’s best to store your No-Touch equipment away from freezing temperatures. If that’s not possible be sure to winterize your machine or the pump system will be damaged and inoperable. Protect your equipment by pouring half a gallon of window washing fluid into the water tank. Turn on the pump system and pull the trigger on the spray gun until some fluid comes out. The fluid will protect the machinery from cold weather damage.
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Amy Milshtein
Amy Milshtein covers design, facility management and business topics for a variety of trade publications and consumer magazines.
Her work has won several awards, most recently a regional silver Azbee Award of Excellence.
She lives in Portland, OR with her family and Clyde, a 15-lb tabby cat. Once an avid hiker, these days she finds herself on the less-challenging -but-still-exciting 'creaky knees' trails.